[Foundation-l] Would you consider being on the Board?

[Alison Wheeler]

On Sun, June 11, 2006 02:38, Kim Bruning wrote:
> The old internet maxim is that anyone who wants the job, probably isn't
> suited to it. It might be wiser to find people who might be suitable,
> and then somehow do them an offer they cannot refuse.

Maybe we should start on the principle that anyone reading Foundation-l in
the first place is already too far gone but are more likely to be
'persuadeable' ;-0

> Some aspects that might be good
> * Typically "older" users who have a lot of experience
> * People who are mild, and unlikely to enter conflict
> * People who have also had some amount of real life experience.

The age range we have working on Wikimedia is amazing. Regularly I am
surprised to find that the person I thought was "old" is actually "young",
and vice-versa. And long may that remain so. Foundation activitity though
does, as you say, require more 'real life' skills and an ability to make
connections, decisions and responses that will stand up to scrutiny - both
professionally, legally and from the community.

I would strongly disagree with the second one there though. Not with
'conflict', as that really is something we don't need (and, arguably, have
some of already that we need to sort out) but there are difficult
decisions ahead for WMF and the projects both that will not be easy.

As a whole we are now becoming more visible to the non-net person;
regularly quoted in newpaper and magazine articles to readers who aren't
online and don't - quite - realise our modus operandi is truly as open and
free as it is. And that will mean with the explosive growth we have
experienced - and will no doubt continue to find ourselves in - there will
come a point when we need to decide which paths are the ones best taken.
That will require a Board prepared to take the 'hard decisions' and a
wider membership willing to make practical and *possible* suggestions with
methodologies that can be considered and to accept the choices that get
made. And all to work together to make it happen without total all-out
conflict getting in the way.

> Only come up with suitable people for now.  Don't worry if they protest
> or refuse for now, we'll sort that part out later.

hmmmn. Not quite so sure I could support that option. Wasn't there someone
who once said "If nominated I won't stand, if elected I won't serve"? We
need people who will *do* things not just talk about them or refuse to get
involved!

Alison Wheeler